Son of the Dragon
by Masako Moonshade
Summary: When he absorbed the Black Dragon Flame, Hiei gained a new power, but he gained something else as well. This is a day in his life.


Disclaimer: I don't own YYH. I never have. I never will. And if you try to sue me, or make fun of my cliched title, Hiei will come and beat the crud out of you.

**Son of the Dragon**

* * *

_You need to eat something._

Hiei barely twitched.

_You are hungry. Go eat something._

The demon only shifted his weight against the tree trunk.

_Go._

"Fine," Hiei muttered to the night air. He stretched for a moment before fading into a blur. Minutes later, he was crouching by the back door of Kurama's house, gathering the key from under the doormat.

"Whenever you need anything, just come right in," Kurama had said.

Kurama used to keep his spare key on top of the doorframe, but moved it to the ground for Hiei's sake.

The fox had barely been able to keep a straight face as he had invited Hiei into his house.

_It was kind of him._

"Hn," Hiei muttered.

_And why are you angry? He said nothing offensive._

"He implied it," the demon grumbled.

_What?_

"That I'm short."

_But you are short, Hiei._

"Shut up." Hiei unlocked the door and made his way to the kitchen. He opened the fridge and looked through it with interest. "Pizza?" he mused.

_Pizza. I could have guessed. You really do enjoy it, do you not?_

"The salvation of humanity," Hiei agreed, pulling a leftover slice out of the refrigerator. He didn't bother with Kurama's microwave: human inventions were just vain substitutions for real power. He simply held the slice in his hand for a few moments and untapped a little of his spirit energy. Small flames raced along his hand, carefully controlled so not to burn his precious meal. Satisfied, he brought the steaming food to his mouth and pulled off a bite, chewing it thoughtfully.

_I. Like. Pizza._ He thought contentedly.

_I know._ Hiei swallowed the bite, but was rather surprised when the mass of cheese and crust dropped into an empty stomach. A miserable grumble escaped from his abdomen. He took another bite, suddenly realizing how hungry he was.

_I told you._ Hiei didn't bother responding; instead he greedily finished the slice and pulled another out of the refrigerator.

"When was the last time I ate?" the demon wondered out loud as he heated his second helping.

_Three days ago. You've been too busy training to take proper care of yourself._

"'Proper?' Since when do dragons say 'proper?'"

_I will say what I wish when I wish it,_ the dragon informed him, nuzzling his mind. Hiei shrugged and resumed chewing.

"Do you like pizza?" he asked suddenly, swallowing another mouthful. The dragon laughed softly.

_Yes,_ it hummed, _I do._

"Good," Hiei said. He bit off another chunk of the dish.

_Are you glad you listened to me?_ The dragon asked. Hiei rolled his eyes.

"I suppose," the demon admitted. He felt a warm, comfortable sensation begin to creep through his mind. He enjoyed it for a moment, still chewing lazily, before he noticed something.

"Are you...purring?" he asked.

_I suppose you could call it that,_ the dragon yawned.

"Why?"

..._Because I like to see you happy._ The dragon...purred...again. Hiei smiled despite himself.

"I think it's more like a hug, really," he noted. The dragon laughed good-naturedly.

_In a way,_ she chuckled. _But could you imagine getting hugged by a dragon?_

Hiei couldn't help laughing.

A quarter hour and several slices later, Hiei meandered out of Kurama's house, locking the door behind him at the dragon's instruction.

"Any more instructions?" he asked her.

_I think a good nap would not be unwelcome,_ the dragon hummed.

"A nap?" the demon asked, before stifling a yawn. "Yes. That doesn't sound too bad right about now." He dashed off to a thick forest and found a comfortable looking tree.

"When's the last time I slept again?" he asked, stretching out on a thick branch.

_Three days._ The dragon said, purring comforting warmth into him. Hiei closed his eyes and allowed sleep to overcome him.

"Good night, Mom..." he murmured as he drifted into slumber.

_I love you, my son_.

In the last light of the setting sun, in the boughs of an oak tree, far away from human eyes, a mother sat beside her sleeping child, warming his thoughts, and guarding him from the darkness of the night.

* * *

AN: whenever I see scenes of the Black Dragon, I always seem to think of it as an almost motherly force. If you have ever seen a mother defend her children, you will know what I mean. It also kind of alludes to the fact that Hiei lost his mother shortly after he was born, and has never really had anyone to love him or take care of him. The love between a mother and child is one of the strongest there is, and I really liked writing about it. I'm not sure how well I pulled this off, but I think the idea was at least worth suggesting. Tell me what you think! Please review! 


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